Let us remind ourselves of how blessed we are from the truth of God’s Word in Ephesians 1:3-14.
1. We are blessed because of spiritual blessings that far outweigh any earthly blessings. (Ephesians 1:3): No matter what we receive or don’t receive in the temporal form, we have been given every blessing through the complete work of Christ – His righteousness, resources, privilege, position, and power. But He often works these spiritual blessings into our lives through circumstances that most people would not consider to be blessings. Some of the greatest spiritual blessings of my life have come through undesired earthly circumstances.
2. We are blessed because, as chosen and adopted sons and daughters of the King, we will receive the riches, blessings, and very nature of Christ. (Ephesians 1:4-6): Could there be a greater blessing than this?! If you are in Christ, you have been chosen before the foundation of the world to be adopted as a beloved son or daughter of the King through Jesus Christ. Chosen and loved, we are blessed beyond measure as we are being made holy through His undeserved grace. There is no greater blessing than this!
3. We are blessed because we are redeemed and forgiven, receiving the riches of His grace as He has made known to us the mystery of His will, the Gospel. (Ephesians 1:7-10): The greatest blessing God can bestow on us is helping us to see our need for Christ, then growing in us an increasing spiritual understanding of the Gospel. Out of love, He sometimes does this through circumstances that take away the desired earthly blessings we are prone to seek, replacing them with the greater blessing of knowing Him more.
4. We are blessed because we have a guaranteed inheritance, and we have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit until we acquire possession of it. (Ephesians 1:11-14): Buying your dream house, restoring your health, and experiencing loss and trials in this life all begin to pale in comparison as we grasp the eternal inheritance that we are guaranteed as a child of God. Our citizenship will be in the new Jerusalem, an unshakable, secure, and eternal Kingdom (Revelation 3:12, 21).
Let’s fix our eyes on the incredible inheritance that we are guaranteed whenever we start grieving over what we’ve lost, when we long for things to be made right, and when we groan in these earthly bodies. If that remains our focus, we will never have a reason to despair. The grieving we experience on earth will make our eternal inheritance all the more beautiful!
On the other hand, because we have far more, more blessings than we realize, we can become complacent. If you see this in yourself, go to the Lord in repentance and ask Him to stir up your heart with a greater zeal for Him than for comfort. Time is short and we do not want to be found asleep! So boldly pray for Christ to do what He must to set your heart ablaze for Him. For those who feel weary from a season of loss and pain, remember that because of the Gospel, our greater blessing is the holiness and character that Christ is working in us. So press on! (SARAH WALTON)